Glow discharge amplifier



Dec 29, 1931. J, M SCHMIERER 1,838,871

GLOW DISCHARGE AMPLIFIER Original Fil ed Dec. 24, 1924 lYIfIVQHi'OI'A Johannes Michael Schmerer Cm I Patented Dec. 29,1931

UNITED STATES PATENT orrice JOHANNES mcrmnr. scnrrmnnaor mcnrnnrnnnn, 1mm 3mm, enammr, .as srenon. TO nanro rarnms CORPORATION, or NEW roan, n. Y;, a conrona'rron on NEW Yonx I snow nrscnaaen AMPLIFIER Original application filed December 24, 1924, Serial No. 757,854. Patent No. 1,720,352, dated l'uly 9, 1929. Divided and this: application filed December 0, 1927, Serial No. 238,189, and in Germanylanuary 28, 1924.

This application is a division of applica- 0nd stage of amplification, etc indicated tion U. S. Ser. 757,854, filed December 24, generally at E. 1924., patented July 9, 1929,:No. 1,720,352. This arrangement achieves amplification My invention relates to a new system of of electr1c current by a certain system of conam lification. 1 A nections which can be explained as follows ne object of m invention is to overcome v the usual instabihty of the glow discharge parallel with a discharge tube B and the tube so as to permit its use as an amplifier. auxll ary electrode GK in this tube is con- My invention pr'ovides a system of connecnectedelectrrcally to the contactor S on the tion for amplifying alternating currents haypotentlal d1v1der. The'locat1on of the coning no connection between the source of suptactor S 1s chosen in such a way that the ply voltage and the.source of current to be Voltage drop through the tube to the aux- -amplified and with only one connection beiliaryelectrode GK is exactly the same as the tween the voltage supply source and the voltage drops in the branches Ww of the am lified iiuit, potential divider P. As a result, the con- One embodiment comprises the use of .a nectlng leadbetween the auxiliary electrode glow discharge tube' having an anode and a GK and the contactor S carries normally no cathode and two control electrodes. The current. anode and cathode are connected to the source of supply and the current to be amplified 1s potent1al impressed upon 1t relatively to the connected to the control electrodes. The first auxiliarfv electrode GK by means of the tube is connected to a transformer of the secondary o the transformer U. This poreceiving apparatus and through a potential etential will be of alternating nature corredivider that is connected across the supply spondmg to the voltage tobe amplified. The li result ofthe voltage impressed on the aux My invention maybe best understood by jiliary electrode QX be to modi the reference to. the accompanying drawing. voltage dlstributionwithin the dlsc arge In the figure a glow discharge device. is tube B msuch a way that therewill be a. indicated at B and as having ananode X, a dlfi'erence of voltage estabhshed between cathode K, and two' control .electrodes GX electrode'GK and contactor S on the potenand GK. The anode X- and cathode K are tial divider. A current will result from the respectively connected to supply lines by primary of the transformer T which is conmeans of conductors L1 and L2. The connected 1n fhislead and the variation of volttrol electrodes are connected to the secondary age on the auxiliary electrode GX will therewinding of transformer -U. The primary fore result in a corresponding variation of The potential divider P is connected in.

winding of U has connected thereto any suitable source of'alternating current that it isd desired to amplify.

The control GK is connected to one side of theprimarywinding of a transformer T that may be part of the receivingapparatus for the amplified current.- The other side; of the primary winding of the transformer T is connected to the contactor S of a potentialdivider P that is connected in parallel with the; anode and cathode supply lineconnections. The'secondary winding of the transformer. T may be connected to a telephone or otherreceiving apparatus or ascocurrent'in the primary of transformer T. Modifications may be made w"i hi the spirit and scope of my invention and-all such modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

'Having described my invention, what I believe to be new and desire to protect and secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis: 1. An amplifying circuit comprisin a cold operating glow discharge tube, 5e0- trodes in said tube, power supply connected The second auxiliary electrode GX has a to said tube, means for conducting a potential to be amplified to said tube, a potentiometer connected acrosssaid power connections,

and a circuit from a point intermediate to said power connections of said potentiometer and said tube to carry the amplified con trol potential.

2. An amplifying circuit comprising a cold operating glow disch arge tube, main and helping electrodes in said tube connections, for impressing a controlling potential on some of the electrodes in said tube, a circuit for receiving an amplified current from said electrodes .and a otentiometer connected in shunt with said main electrodes, said last named circuit being connected to a point of said potentiometer intermediate said connections to main electrodes.

3. An amplifying device comprising a power line, a discharge tube having an anode and cathode connected to the line and having two auxiliary electrodes, a otential divider connections therefrom to sald power line, a connection from a point of the divider intermediate said power line connections to one of the auxiliary electrodes, a connection from one auxiliary electrode to the other, means to apply to said last named connection a current to be amplified, to cause said second named connection to bear the amplified current.

4. An amplifying device comprising a glow discharge tube, a pair of main and a pair of helping electrodes in said tubes, a circuit extending between said two helping electrodes, which circuit bears a current to be amplified, a potentiometer in shunt with saidelectrodes and a connection extending from one of said helping electrodes of the tube to a point of the potentiometer'intermediate said main terminals to receive said current after amplification. a

5. An amplifying device comprising a discharge tube having an anode and cat ode, a potential divider bearing at its ends the voltages of the anode and cathode, an auxiliary electrode in the tube connected to a point of the potential divider of a voltage intermediate said anode and cathode voltages and means to cause a current to be modulated to flow between said auxiliary electrode and a second auxiliary electrode to cause said current after amplification to flow between said firstmentioned electrode and said inter: mediate point of the potential divider.

6. In an electric amplifier comprising a gas discharge tube having a plurality of unheated electrodes, power connections across some of said electrodes to maintain a discharge -"with-in said tube, an amplification circuit connected to others of said electrodes, a potentiometer connected across the power connections and means for tapping off a part of said power from the potentiometer for connection to one of said last mentioned electrodes.

7 In a gas discharge tube, a first unheated electrode, a second e1ectrode,means for applying a'potential between said electrodes, a third electrode, a connection from said third electrode to said last mentioned means, the connection being balanced with respect to the potential so no current normally flows therein, a fourth electrode, means for varying potential of said fourth electrode, and circuit connections whereby said potential variations of the fourth electrode produces corresponding current flow in said first mentioned connection.

8. In a gas discharge tube, a first and second electrode, means forapplying a potential between said electrodes, a third electrode, a receiver circuit connected to said third electrode, there being normally no otential difference between both sides of t e receiver, a fourth electrode, means for varying the potential of said fourth electrode, circuit connections from said fourth electrode to said third electrode whereby variations of potentials of said fourth electrode varies the potential of said third electrode whereby the potentials on one side of said receiver is changed with respect to the other side to produce a current flow therebetween.

9. In a gas discharge tube, a first and second electrode, means for maintaining a potential between said electrodes, a third electrode interposed between said first and second electrode, circuit connections from said third electrode to said first mentioned means so arranged that the potentials between said first 'and third electrodes equals the potential of said means between said. first electrode and said circuit connections to said means whereby the potential between said third electrode and said circuit connection normally is zero, a fourth electrode, means for varying the potentials thereof and means controlled by said fourth electrode for varying the potentials of said third electrode with respect to said circuit connection at said means.

10. In a cold glow discharge tube, first and second unheated electrodes,a single source of power for operating said tube, said source of power being connected between said electrodes, a third electrode, a potentiometer connection from said third electrode to said source of power such as tonormally maintain a balanced condition with respect to said source, a fourth electrode, means for varying the potentials of said fourth electrode and.

means whereby varying potentials of said fourth electrode vary the potentials of said third electrode for unbalancing said electrode with respect to said source.

11. In acold gas discharge tube, a first cold electrode, a second electrode, a source of current to be amplified, said source of current being connected to said second electrode, a main source of power, a circuit connecting said first and second electrodes to said source 'of power, a receiver connected to. said circuit,

a third electrode connected to said source whereby there is normally no potential difference from said second electrode and said source of power through said receiver and a fourth electrode controlled by said source of current for varying the potential of said electrode with respect to said source of power.

12. In combination a gas discharge tube with a plurality of electrodes, a Wheatstone bridge connection between three of the electrodes of said tube to form the two arms of said bridge, a potentiometer to form the two correspondingarms of the bridge, an output circuit connected in the diametrical connection of the bridge, and a power supply con nected to the other diametrical connection to impress its potential upon said tube, means for unbalancing the arms comprising the tube, said means including an input circuit at whereby the current in said input circuit produces an amplified image current in said output circuit.

13. In a gas discharge tube, a plurality of cold electrodes, a source of current to be amplified, said source of current being connected to one of said electrodes, a main source of power, current connections from said electrodes to said source of power for maintaining said electrodes at predetermined potentials, a receiver connected to one of said electrodes through said circuit connections, there being normally no potential difi'erence from said receiver connected electrode to the source of power tap of said same electrodes, and means controlled by said source of current for varying the potential of said last named electrode with respect to said source of power tap thereof. i

14. In an electric amplifier comprising a gas discharge tube having a plurality of unheated electrodes, power connections across some of said electrodes to maintain a discharge within said tube, an amplification circuit including two of said electrodes, a potentiometer connected across said power connections, and means for tapping off from said pov tentiometer for connection to said electrodes. In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature. i

JOHANI JFS MICHAEL SCHMIERER. 

